Fold-over spectacle case



p 1957 E. NATHAN FOLD-OVER SPECTACLE CASE Filed Nov. 26, 1956 INVENTOR .5 4417-44 AT ORNEY United States Patent FOLD-OVER SPECTACLE CASE Emanuel Nathan, South Orange, N. 3., a's signor to The Opticase Company, Newark, N. J., a partnership Application November 26, 1956, Serial No. 624,254

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-) This invention relates to cases such as are useful for holding spectacles which are manufactured in large quantities. Pursuant to the present invention, a high degree of inherent stability and rigidity is provided by a novel, relatively inflexible pocket portion for such devices while providing a flexible flap portion which may be readily moved to closed and open position, the structural features being such as to lend themselves admirably to economical, uniform and accurate, large-scale production. The drawings illustrate convenient forms in which spectacle cases embodying the invention may be made. It will be apparent from a consideration thereof, that said spectacle cases may be made in any desired or convenient form within the scope and purview of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a substantially inflexible open pocket member for spectacle cases embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the inner surfaces of the pocket wall members having a covering sheet applied thereto,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a spectacle case embody ing the invention,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a relatively inflexible pocket portion therefor embodying the invention shown with the wall members thereof connected by a channelled spacer nose piece, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a pair of substantially similar elongated, relatively inflexible wall members and 11 which may be made, for example, of metal of the desired degree of inflexibility to contain and protect the spectacles, the wall members 10 and 11 are connected at their lower edges 12 and open at their ends 14 and top edges 13, so as to define a substantially inflexible, open pocket 15 for reception of a pair of spectacles. An elongated, flexible outer closure sheet 16 is provided (Fig. 3) and a flexible front wall member 17 may be formed integral therewith or connected thereto at its lower and end edges 18, 19, 20 for reception of the substantially inflexible pocket member 15. The latter may be either friction fitted in place or secured in place by any suitable adhesive, riveting or other securing means, as desired. Flexible closure sheet 16 is further formed, upwardly of the portion thereof which is so connected with flexible front wall member 17, with an extended flap portion 21 adapted to be folded ICC over the front wall member 17 to close the spectacle case over the spectacles disposed therein. A transverse, substantially inflexible member 22 may be formed as a channel member (Fig. 4) connected at its ends 23, 24 to the wall members 10 and 11 of the pocket 15 and may serve the dual function of a nose piece on which the spectacles may be positioned and spacer to maintain the wall members 10, 11 spaced as above described. The nose piece 22 may be formed of the material of one of the wall members (as for example, the wall member 10) and may be connected to the other wall member by any suitable means, such as the tongue 24 shown in Fig. 4 passed through and clinched over the wall member 11. The front wall member 10 is preferably medially outwardly bowed as shownin the drawings. The extended flap 21 of the outer closure sheet 16 may be provided with latch means 25 complementary to latch means 26 on the flexible front wall member 17. A covering sheet 27 may be applied to the substantially inflexible wall members 10 and 11 so that, in the finished case, as shown in Fig. 3, for example, pocket 15 would have a relatively soft inner wall while at the same time, having inherent rigidity and resisting distortion in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fold-over spectacle case comprising a pair of substantially similar, elongated, inflexible wall members, connected at their lower edges and open at their end and top edges, formed so as to define a substantially inflexible open pocket for reception therein of a pair of spectacles, a substantially inflexible nose piece formed of the material of one of the wall members bent into U-shaped form at right angles and extending therefrom toward and connected to the other Wall member to thus secure the nose piece and wall members together.

2. A fold-over spectacle case comprising a pair of substantially similar, elongated, inflexible wall members, connected at their lower edges and open at their end and top edges, formed so as to define a substantially inflexible open pocket for reception therein of a pair of spectacles, a substantially inflexible nose piece formed of the material of one of the wall members bent into U-shaped form at right angles to the plane of said wall member, and a tongue formed at the opposite end of the nose piece and extending therefrom toward the other wall member, the latter having a slot through which the tongue may be passed to thereby connect the Wall members in spaced relation.

3. In a fold-over spectacle case as set forth in claim 2, said nose piece formed of the material of one of the wall members being connected to said wall member at the upper edge of the nose piece, and said tongue being formed at the upper edge of the opposite end of said nose piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

